About this episode

Michael Herst interviews Richard Sparks about his diverse creative career spanning comedy, opera, and fantasy writing.

What happens when a lifelong storyteller refuses to stay in one lane? In this episode, Michael sits down with Richard Sparks — acclaimed British comedy writer, opera collaborator, and fantasy novelist — to explore a career defined by reinvention, imagination, and the courage to follow creativity wherever it leads. Richard has written for some of the most iconic comedy voices in the UK, crafted librettos for opera, and now builds entire worlds through fantasy fiction. His journey is a masterclass in artistic evolution, resilience, and the joy of creating without boundaries. Together, they explore: The early days of British comedy How opera shaped his storytelling Why he shifted into fantasy writing What it means to reinvent yourself creatively The craft behind humor, world‑building, and character The lessons learned from a lifetime in the arts This is a warm, witty, and deeply inspiring conversation with a man who has lived multiple creative lives — and is still writing new chapters. Find us on Apple, Spotify or your favorite listening platform; visit us on our YouTube channel Find everything "One More Thing" here: https://taplink.cc/beforeyougopodcast Want to be a guest on One…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Herst

Guest: Richard Sparks

Topics covered

• creativity
• storytelling
• reinvention
• comedy
• opera
• fantasy writing
• artistic evolution

Keywords

• creative lives
• storytelling
• comedy writing
• opera librettos
• fantasy novels
• artistic evolution
• reinvention

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Podmatch, Podcorn

Books & works: One More Thing Before You Go, British comedy, opera, fantasy fiction

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